Pipe repair unit



1949- w. w. BROOKS 2,478,684

PIPE REPAIR UNIT Filed Aug. 23, 1945 IN V EN TOR.

9% BY W ATTORNEY.

T Patented Au 9, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE REPAIR UNIT. William w. Brooks, Ingleside, 'rex. Application August 23, 1945, Serial No. 612,257

2 Claims. (01. 138-97) The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for the joining of sections of pipe. More particularly, it provides a method and apparatus for repairing breaks in pipes carrying combustible materials under high pressure.

In the past much hazard has been connected with the repairing oi breaks in lines carrying oil and gas. The practice has been to plug up the exposed ends of the pipe with mud plugs and then, after making things as clean as possible by removal or spilled oil and blowing away liberated gas, welding the pipe at the break.- This was dangerous first because it is impossible to be sure that spilled gasoline, for example. has been sufliciently removed and. secondly, because there is the ever present danger oi the mud plug leaking or giving way and jeopardizingthe welders during the welding operation by virtue of the release of combustible material into the welding arc orflame. Then, too, in such an operation, after the weld is completed, the mud plugs must be pumped through the line and these often give invention will appear from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing; in which,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section 01: pipe ends to be joined with the joint of the present invention installed;

Fig. .2 is a face 'view of the inner face of one of the clamps shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of said clamp;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a special sleeve for use in the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of said sleeve.

Referring to the drawing in detail, numerals l and 2 represent two pipe ends which in a special case may be assumed to be sections of the same pipe which has sprung a leak necessitating the sawing of the pipe in two for repair. Numeral 3 designates a sleeve snugly fitting the pipe ends and having at its either end a radially offset portion 4 projecting longitudinally a sumcient distance to provide an annular space around the of the sleeve are gaskets! 'of rubber or other suitable packing material..

Abutting against each gasket is a metal gland- 6 of a thickness such as to ill] the annular space between the ends 4 and the pipes. Arranged in abutting relation with the outer end of each gland is a clamp I, each clamp being made of two semi-circular membe 8 and I hinged at III on a bolt II and havin overlapping ends l2, each provided with a hole I! located so as to coincide with each other when the member is in closed position and to receive a bolt I'l. Each of members 8 and 9 is also provided with an additional hole l5 arranged so as to be diametrically opposite each other and to receive additional bolts. Each of members 8 and Q carries on its innerface two projecting lugs I6 arranged about 90 apart. These lugs are adapted to abut against the outer ends of the glands 6.

Assuming the sections of pipe shown to be part of the same pipe line which has sprung a leak, the two sections are sprung apart sufliciently to permit the slipping on of first the gland 6, then the gasket 5 on each end and then the sleeve 3 on one of the ends. The ends are then brought into alignment and the sleeve 3 is located in the position shown. Then the glands are pushed into place and the hinged clamping members 8 and 9 are applied. With the clamping members in the position shown in Fig. 1, the bolts I I are tightened up thereby pressing the glands against the gaskets, and compressing the latter from its ends to produce abulge in the middle forming a fluid tight seal between the members 4 and the pipes.

This assembly can be then left, as such, as a fluid tight coupling. Where the invention. is applied to a pipe line carrying combustible fluid under pressure, after any fluid which has escaped has been carefully removed, the outer ends of members 4 are welded to the glands 8 and the outer ends of glands 6 are tack-welded to the pipe section. Thenthe clamps are removed and a full weld applied between the end or each gland 6 and the pipe section.

In Figs. 4 and 5 there 'is shown a sleeve that p can be used instead of sleeve 3 which, it machined form two sections with abutting ends, slipping on each section a gland and then a gasket, slipping on one oi said sections a sleeve having a central portion snugly fitting the pipe and having at each end a longitudinally projecting oii'set portion which, together with the pipe, forms an annular space at either end of said sleeve, aligning the two sections of pipe, moving the sleeve to a position to cover the abutting ends or said pipe, forcing each gasket into its respective annular recess with its corresponding gland. applyi g pressure to the ends of said glands to compress said gasket and form a fluid tight Joint around the point of juncture of said pipe sections, and welding said sleeve to said glands and said glands to said pipe sections.

2. A coupling for metallic pipe sections carrying fluid under pressure which comprises a tubular metallic sleeve having a portion intermediate its ends of an inner diameter so as to fit snugly on the pipe ends and having its either end of such an inner diameter as to be spaced radially from said pipe sections to form an annular recess. packin material .in the recess so formed, a

, a aszasss go Number Name Date 616,578 Love Dec. 2'7, 1898' 817,300 David Apr. 10, 1906 865,056 Palmer Sept. 3, 1907 1,063,996 Moore June 10, 1913 25 1,371,632 Latimer Mar. 15, 1921 1,940,729 Pfeiierle Dec. 26, 1933 2,163,810 Raybould June 27, 1939 2,203,237 Raybould June 4, 1940 2,269,695 Schart Jan. 13, 1942 WILLIAM W. BROOKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references 'are of record. in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

